Vancouver Canucks: The Rebuild Could End in 2016

Apr 11, 2015; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; The Vancouver Canucks celebrate the win during overtime against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Arena. The Vancouver Canucks won 5-4 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 11, 2015; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; The Vancouver Canucks celebrate the win during overtime against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Arena. The Vancouver Canucks won 5-4 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports
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vancouver canucks
Apr 11, 2015; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; The Vancouver Canucks celebrate the win during overtime against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Arena. The Vancouver Canucks won 5-4 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports

The Vancouver Canucks’ “rebuild on the fly” has failed. Now what if I told you it hasn’t?

For the second time in three years, the Vancouver Canucks are expected to miss the playoffs. Between 2008 and 2013, the club won five consecutive Northwest Division titles, two Western Conference championships and two President’s Trophies. They were at the very top in 2011, when they ultimately failed to make Lord Stanley’s Cup theirs in a devastating Game 7 loss against the Boston Bruins.

That is now history.

Today, the Canucks are in the midst of a “rebuild on the fly” that many fans see failing. But is it really?

Henrik and Daniel Sedin aren’t getting younger. That’s no secret. However, Canucks general manager Jim Benning has done a great job drafting promising players — even outside of the top-20 picks, e.g. goaltender Thatcher Demko, forward Brock Boeser and defenceman Tate Olson — and bringing in young NHL-ready players like Emerson Etem and Sven Baertschi. Then there are obviously the higher draft picks like Bo Horvat or Jake Virtanen.

Overall, the Canucks have a lot of talent on their roster and just need to get through their little rough patch. There have been rumblings about several players possibly being interested in signing with Vancouver, and free agency promises to be extremely exciting. In fact, the upcoming off-season might just be enough to finish the rebuild.

You don’t believe me? Then get ready for this blindly optimistic off-season outlook!

Next: The Draft